The present invention relates to activating a card or device (such as, for example, a credit card, a debit card or a cellular phone) through a computer network, and more particularly, through a site on a global computer network such as, for example, the Internet.
In today""s changing economy, people often use transaction cards such as credit cards or debit cards for numerous reasons. For example, transaction cards are lightweight and easier to carry than cash or a checkbook. Further, the need for a cardholder or consumer to carry a large amount of cash or other negotiable instruments when shopping is minimized. Cardholders also enjoy the convenience of the card""s purchasing power when an unexpected expense or shopping opportunity arises. While the use of such cards has grown tremendously, the problems associated with card fraud or the use of stolen cards has also grown. As such, card providers often explore various methods or technologies to minimize card fraud or theft of the card.
The card activation process was instituted by card issuers or providers to protect themselves and the cardholder from improper use of the card before it was actually in the possession of the cardholder (i.e., through fraud or theft of the card). Card activation is typically the process for cardholders to communicate to the issuer that the cardholder has received the plastic representing their account from the issuer, and that the account is now ready to be activated so it can be used by the cardholder. Until the card is activated, it usually cannot be used for any purchases.
Typical card activation systems are provided by voice response or manual customer service systems, such as, for example, the voice response systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,351,285, 5,297,197, 5,259,023, 5,251,252, 5,128,984, 5,109,404 and 5,014,298 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as background. Both technologies are disadvantageous because, for example, voice response systems often limit the fraud identification capabilities, while manual systems usually increase cost and are not overly convenient for the customer (since the customer is typically dependent on the issuer""s employee being available). Moreover, most card activation systems currently have one form and/or function. This applies not only to the system itself, but also to the different channels that are offered by card issuers to activate a card. For instance, a customer can use a voice response system to activate their card, but if any problems are encountered while using the voice response system, the cardholder is directed to a customer service representative.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a new online card activation site that will allow any consumer or cardholder with network access (e.g., Internet, WAN, LAN, etc) to activate their card or other account associated with a new account, renewal or replacement. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for online card activation between a cardholder or consumer interacting with at least a first computing system and a second computing system in communication with the first computing system over a first network. The method includes, in one embodiment, providing a notice to a consumer to activate a card (for example, a new card, a renewal card or a replacement card) on a site on a first computing system, instructing the consumer to access the site, prompting the consumer to provide predetermined card information to the site and communicating the predetermined card information to the second computing system over the first network, thereby allowing the at least second computing system to process the predetermined card information against previously stored account data and notifying the consumer on the first computing network of the activation processing results.